InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Prisoner ❯ Keeping Me ( Chapter 5 )

A delicate white hand continued fiddling with long silvery strands of hair as its owner's nap endured. She didn't know, nor did she care, if he knew that she enjoyed playing with his hair like this, occasionally braiding it, if she woke up before him.

Beneath her, Inuyasha shifted slightly though didn't wake; his eyes still dormant on his face and a look she only recognized as innocence showing itself.

She smiled, continuing to thread her fingers through the strands in mild amusement.

It had been a month now since she had started sharing the couch with Inuyasha. He had seemed completely opposed to the idea when it was first voiced, though time took the two into a course of routine as the days passed.

She talked a lot more, she realized. And though he teased her a lot about the things she did say, she was still more than happy to speak with him and be able to communicate once more.

Somehow, through his rude manner and sly words, she had come to find her own voice after four long years.

She couldn't stand by and let him tease without getting a hit in there after all!

When they would talk now, she felt free. She felt as if something had been lifted of her, and no longer was that voice telling her not to speak. Slowly, it seemed that the resistance, that bitter voice that held her away from herself, was disappearing and she could thank Inuyasha for that.

She still admitted that there were a few things that she held from him, but those things she didn't necessarily want to be relieved. If he knew, maybe he wouldn't want her there anymore; he may shun her thinking her as dirty and unworthy of his presence.

She didn't want to be hated by him, so Inuyasha didn't have to know.

She shook her head sadly trying to clear the beginnings of bad things. Inuyasha was slowly bringing those things away, though it was her who had to make sure they stayed at bay. No longer did she feel consumed by what was, yet what had occurred still hadn't vanished completely.

Enough sadness she thought scolding herself I'm bored completely bored with him and....hungry?

"Inuyasha!" she shook him gently as she came to a sitting position to look down at the face that slowly lost signs of immaculation "Inuyasha, you lazy bum--wake up!"

"Damn it, woman!" he groaned angrily, taking her wrists away from the abuse "Don't do that when I'm---Is something wrong?" he asked in after thought "You okay?"

She smiled at the genuine concern that drew across his face below her. She had come to recognize such an expression as his true self rather than the rough facade he held during the duration of the day.

“Yep. It's just--I'm hungry"

"What?!" he nearly shouted, sitting up as her body was forced off his chest

"I said I'm hungry" she repeated though this time with a giggle

"Shit! Are you sick?" he questioned, though the sarcasm was evident as a palm was pressed to her forehead "You caught something didn't you?"

She giggled again pushing his hand away "I'm being serious!"

He snorted pushing her off of him as he rose to his feet "Keh. You? Serious? Never..."

"Hey!"

Arms wrapped around her waist and tucked underneath her knees as she was lifted against his chest, traveling to the kitchen table. Once she was safely in her seat he released a yawn shaking his legs as his body tried to catch up to it's self.

Kagome smiled at the act, reminding her for the millionth time that he resembled a dog.
Not that she'd say that, unless directed as an innocent insult, but it was just plan adorable.

She already knew that he was a hanyou, he had told her once before. And like she had told him, it suited him. He wasn't like the human she had come to associate man with, but he wasn't like the demons who had tried killing her in the forest.

He was his own in both.

A spitting image of himself.

"So what do ya want?" he questioned placing a drink in front of her "Have a taste for something'?"

"Mmm" she put a finger to her chin in thought "Pancakes...with butter"

"Meat?" he asked going to the fridge

"Sausage"

"Done" he announced throwing the sausages on the table with a thunk

"Ummm....Aren't they a little hard?"

"And frozen just how you like them" he replied roughly, finding her remark as she poked the meat "Now shut it....where the hell did I put that damned frying pan...?"

Kagome smiled reaching out to open the package of sausages as she let the frozen chunk
fall with a thunk to the frying pan.

She had gained a new loved fixation to the food he cooked--they cooked. Now gone were the suspicions that he was feeding her into ways of use. It was almost laughable that she even thought him as to do such an act.

Breakfasts she loved the most though. It was the first thing they did together in the morning and she'd wake up just to do it with him. Before, when her parents had been alive, they had made Sunday breakfasts together. Against the maids and cooks of the castle they went about trying to make a meal. Yeah, they'd fail a couple of times ruining everything but it was fun.

She smiled shyly at the memory.

Another thing Inuyasha had blessed her with was the gift of her family's memories. He asked about them on occasions and though she felt she'd go off his actual question she was happy to acknowledge them once more.

"Alright then" he stated as items and ingredients dropped from his arms to the table "You make the batter and I'll start the sausages" he picked up the ready frying pan but turned to her in second thought "Oh and Kagome? Egg shell free this time?"

She stuck her tongue out reaching for the recipe.

Once everything had been read carefully this time, and stirred perfectly she raised the bowl to him "Fin-ish-ed!" she sung getting a dry look as he turned "Egg shell free just like you wanted!" she added waving to the shells on the table

"You want I should celebrate?" he asked in tease taking the bowl on his way back to the stove "A party maybe?"

"Not necessary" she said with a smile "Your kind words are reward enough"

"Keh"

It was a funny thing with him, she soon found. He had this roughness and almost closed nature about him, and he tried holding it though it seemed to falter under her at times. It seemed like he almost wanted to shout at her, though wouldn't. He was kind but couldn't accept it.

"Aww, fuck. I smell another human" he said mostly to himself "I'll go out to chase him after breakfast, he can wait until then, if he's killed..." he flipped a pancake expertly in the pan, to the air, back to the pan "Well it's his fault..."

She clicked her tongue in near disgust "Inuyasha..."

Though deep down she knew he didn't like them getting killed, a part of her also knew he really didn't care. As this was his forest he drove anyone out who wasn't him, and now who wasn't Kagome.

That's how he had come across her. She had run off in this neck of the woods and he had found her, twice actually, saving her from certain death. That's what he did to any other humans that trespassed. He wouldn't kill the humans, the demons yes, but the humans he almost protected. Either chasing them out or throwing them into the nearest village if they couldn't make it themselves.

That had her thinking though...

“Hey, Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?" he replied casually "I already told ya I'm getting them, don't get your panties in a twist, girl"

"It's not that" she said as a plate of cooked sausage was placed in front of her "I was just thinking about when you found me...why didn't you take me to the village like you do the other humans?"

"Keh! You want I should?" he questioned angrily pressing his fists to the table in threat

She shook her head "No. I was only wondering...."

He glared at her but her eyes stared back at him with a harmless glow. Wearily he turned "Maybe you just shouldn't have started talking...."

She tilted her head reaching for a sausage to chew on "Sorry, but you could have just dropped me there right? I mean I'm sure there's some sick humans that plow through here all that time....did I really look that horrible?"

"You looked....." he drifted off with a sigh instead flipping another finished pancake to the plate at his side "....lifeless"

"How?" she questioned still chewing on the meat, though now more focused to his back "Was I sickly looking?"

"No" he said, leaning over the stove as he turned the burner off "You seemed healthy...."

"Well, I don't get it then" she said forgetting the sausage "Is there a reason, or did you just let me stay? Because usually you go on and on about---"

"Enough Kagome" he said harshly, finally turning with the plate of hot cakes in hand "The conversation is over"

She nodded as an empty plate was placed in front of her, allowing her to gather pancakes and sausages to it.

She really didn't see why it was a touchy subject, but she didn't like an angry Inuyasha even more so. Instead, she shook her head of the thoughts concentrating now on trying to cut the damn cakes.

Her hands always seemed double left in these things though, and her fork and knife weren't exactly cooperating either. She hadn't been used to real food like this in awhile--real good food, anyways. After all, she doubted pancakes would increase her breast size for anyone.

A hand pushed hers away as Inuyasha scooted his chair over to cut the cakes for her. She sighed wearily, watching them being expertly cut, feeling really stupid.

"I have no fuckin' clue why I kept you here, Kagome" he stated as he cut the cakes "But..."

She smiled warmly; leaning over to rest her head on is shoulder "I'm glad you did"